US6870427B2 - Process and device for controlling the operation of a bipolar transistor in class A - Google Patents
Process and device for controlling the operation of a bipolar transistor in class A Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US6870427B2 US6870427B2 US10/401,510 US40151003A US6870427B2 US 6870427 B2 US6870427 B2 US 6870427B2 US 40151003 A US40151003 A US 40151003A US 6870427 B2 US6870427 B2 US 6870427B2
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- Prior art keywords
- bipolar transistor
- reference voltage
- emitter
- voltage
- base
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
- H03F—AMPLIFIERS
- H03F1/00—Details of amplifiers with only discharge tubes, only semiconductor devices or only unspecified devices as amplifying elements
- H03F1/30—Modifications of amplifiers to reduce influence of variations of temperature or supply voltage or other physical parameters
- H03F1/302—Modifications of amplifiers to reduce influence of variations of temperature or supply voltage or other physical parameters in bipolar transistor amplifiers
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
- H03F—AMPLIFIERS
- H03F1/00—Details of amplifiers with only discharge tubes, only semiconductor devices or only unspecified devices as amplifying elements
- H03F1/32—Modifications of amplifiers to reduce non-linear distortion
Definitions
- the present invention relates to bipolar transistors and, more particularly, to controlling the operation of those transistors in class A mode, according to either a common emitter or common base arrangement.
- the invention applies advantageously, without limitation, to terminals of wireless communication systems, for example, to cellular mobile telephones.
- a bipolar transistor operating in class A mode according to a common emitter arrangement is customarily used as a transconductor stage, that is to say a voltage/current converter.
- a transconductor is characterized in particular by its linearity and its gain.
- the linearity can be conveyed by the value, in dBm, of an order 3 interception point (IIP3) for a dual-tone intermodulation test, according to terminology well known to the person skilled in the art.
- IIP3 interception point
- the gain and the intermodulation form part of the specified parameters.
- the invention aims to afford a solution to this problem.
- An objective of the invention is to propose a bipolar transistor operating in class A mode, according to either a common emitter or common base arrangement, which exhibits very good linearity together with reduced current consumption as compared with a conventional arrangement with identical gain.
- the invention proposes a process for controlling the operation of a bipolar transistor operating in class A mode, according to either a common emitter or common base arrangement, in which the product of the static collector current times the emitter resistance is slaved to a predetermined reference voltage whose value is substantially equal, within a given tolerance, to 13 mV at the temperature of 27° C.
- this reference voltage makes it possible to obtain an extremely large value of IIP3, and consequently obtain very good linearity, substantially irrespective of the other operating parameters of the transistor, and in particular its gain, when it is used in a common-emitter arrangement.
- the reference voltage is moreover especially advantageous for the reference voltage to be delivered by a generator of the proportional to absolute temperature type (PTAT generator).
- PTAT generator proportional to absolute temperature type
- the subject of the invention is also an electronic device comprising:
- bipolar transistor able to operate in class A mode, according to either a common emitter or common base arrangement, linked to the input and able to deliver on its collector an output current
- a voltage generator able to deliver a predetermined reference voltage whose value is substantially equal, to within a given tolerance, to 13 mV at a temperature at or about 27° C.
- slaving means able to slave the product of the static collector current times the emitter resistance to the said reference voltage.
- the voltage generator is advantageously of the proportional to absolute temperature type.
- the slaving means are fed back between the emitter and the base of the bipolar transistor.
- the output impedance of the slaving loop is preferably selected to be large compared with the impedance viewed from the base of the transistor, for example 100 times larger. This makes it possible, in particular when the transistor is used in a common emitter arrangement, for the input current not to be injected into the slaving loop.
- the gain of the slaving loop at the operating frequency and at ⁇ f, where ⁇ f designates the frequency separation between the two tones of a dual-tone intermodulation test is also especially advantageous for the gain of the slaving loop at the operating frequency and at ⁇ f, where ⁇ f designates the frequency separation between the two tones of a dual-tone intermodulation test, to be small relative to 1. It will for example be possible to choose a gain equal to ⁇ fraction (1/100) ⁇ . Stated otherwise, the passband of the slaving loop is then much less than the useful frequency of the input signal. Thus, the gain of the device remains essentially equal to the gain of the transistor associated with its emitter resistance, the influence of the gain of the slaving loop being negligible.
- the slaving means comprise a differential amplifier, a first input of which is connected to the emitter of the transistor, a second input of which is connected to the output of the reference voltage generator, and the output of which is connected to the gate of a MOS transistor, for example a PMOS transistor, itself connected between the supply voltage and the base of the bipolar transistor.
- a MOS transistor for example a PMOS transistor
- the device according to the invention is advantageously embodied in integrated form.
- the subject of the invention is also a remote terminal of a wireless communication system, in particular a cellular mobile telephone, incorporating a radio frequency reception stage comprising a device as defined hereinabove.
- a circuit and method are provided wherein operation of a bipolar transistor is controlled.
- a first voltage is produced which is a product of a static collector current of the bipolar transistor times an emitter resistance.
- the first voltage is then compared to a predetermined reference voltage to produce a control signal.
- Current is then injected a base of the bipolar transistor in response to the control signal.
- FIGURE diagrammatically represents an embodiment of a device according to the invention.
- the reference TP denotes a cellular mobile telephone whose reception chain, for example, incorporates a device DD according to the invention.
- This device comprises a bipolar transistor BIP arranged in common emitter mode, that is to say the radio frequency input signal, which here is an input voltage Vin, is received on the base of this bipolar transistor BIP, via a decoupling capacitor C.
- An emitter resistance RE is moreover connected between the emitter of the bipolar transistor and earth/ground.
- the output current from this transconductor stage is the collector current of the bipolar transistor.
- the collector of the transistor is linked to the supply voltage through an output load, for example a mixer, not represented here for the sake of simplification.
- the device DD moreover comprises slaving means MAS fed back between the emitter and the base of the bipolar transistor BIP.
- These slaving means MAS here comprise a differential amplifier CMP, a first input of which is linked to the emitter of the transistor BIP at a point ND situated between this emitter and the emitter resistance RE.
- the other input of the differential amplifier CMP receives a predetermined reference voltage Vref delivered by a voltage generator GT of the proportional to absolute temperature type (PTAT).
- the output of the differential amplifier CMP is linked to the gate of a PMOS transistor referenced T, whose source is linked to the supply voltage Vdd and whose drain is linked to the base of the bipolar transistor BIP.
- the bipolar transistor BIP operates in class A mode. Stated otherwise, the dynamic output current of the transistor, that is to say when the input signal +Vin is present, is a sinusoid whose frequency is equal to the useful frequency of the input signal, this sinusoid being centered on the level corresponding to the static collector current of the bipolar transistor. Moreover, since the transistor operates in class A mode, the dynamic output current is not clipped, and the amplitude of this dynamic current relative to the level of the collector static current remains less than the level of this collector static current, and the mean current level is equal to the static current.
- the current flowing at the node ND that is to say the emitter current of the bipolar transistor, is to within the current gain ⁇ of the transistor, substantially equal to the collector current Ic.
- the mean voltage at the node ND is therefore substantially equal to the product of the emitter resistance times the static collector current Ie.
- the gain of the device DD is equal to g m /(1+A), where g m denotes the gain of the bipolar transistor BIP associated with its emitter resistance RE, and A denotes the gain of the slaving loop MAS.
- a gain of the slaving loop which is as low as possible at the useful frequency of the input signal and at the separation ⁇ f of the tones of a dual-tone intermodulation test will therefore preferably be chosen, so as to have a passband of the differential amplifier which is much less than the useful frequency.
- the output impedance of the slaving loop MAS is very large compared with the impedance viewed from the base of the bipolar transistor BIP. Therefore, the input current is almost totally injected into the base of the bipolar transistor BIP.
- the voltage source GT is a voltage source proportional to absolute temperature.
- the structure of a conventional voltage source such as this is well known to the person skilled in the art.
- this voltage source is scheduled to deliver a reference voltage Vref equal to 13 mV at the temperature of 27° C. More generally, the voltage Vref in millivolts is equal to 13 (t+273)/(27+273) where “t” denotes the temperature in degrees Celsius.
- the mean voltage at the node ND is constantly slaved to the reference voltage Vref, to within the offset voltage of the differential amplifier CMP. More precisely, the loop will find its equilibrium when Vref and the mean voltage at the node ND are equal to within the offset voltage.
- the IIP3 is theoretically infinite when the voltage at the node ND is strictly equal to 13 mV. In practice, this voltage is equal to 13 mV, to within a tolerance, for example plus or minus 5%, by virtue of the offset voltage of the differential amplifier CMP. Under these conditions, the level of intermodulation nevertheless remains very low, and consequently the value of the IIP3 remains very high. Very good linearity of this transconductor device is therefore obtained.
- the device DD exhibits low noise without degradation of the 1 dB compression point. It is recalled here that the compression point of an amplifier stage is the input power beyond which the corresponding output power deviates by 1 dB from the theoretical output power corresponding to linear operation of the stage.
- the invention is not limited to the embodiment just described but embraces all the variants thereof.
- the same principle can be applied to a common-base arrangement, in which the input signal, which is now a current, is applied directly to the emitter of the bipolar transistor.
- the slaving means MAS remain fed back between the emitter and the base.
- a device is then embodied which allows a transfer of impedance between the input and the output, doing so with excellent linearity.
Abstract
Description
Claims (23)
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
FR0203806A FR2837999B1 (en) | 2002-03-27 | 2002-03-27 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF A BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR OPERATING IN CLASS A ACCORDING TO A COMMON TRANSMITTER OR COMMON BASE |
FRFR0203806 | 2002-03-27 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20030213976A1 US20030213976A1 (en) | 2003-11-20 |
US6870427B2 true US6870427B2 (en) | 2005-03-22 |
Family
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Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US10/401,510 Expired - Lifetime US6870427B2 (en) | 2002-03-27 | 2003-03-27 | Process and device for controlling the operation of a bipolar transistor in class A |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US6870427B2 (en) |
FR (1) | FR2837999B1 (en) |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20050184808A1 (en) * | 2004-02-20 | 2005-08-25 | Krutko Oleh B. | Monolithically fabricated HBT amplification stage with current limiting FET |
US20120163242A1 (en) * | 2010-12-24 | 2012-06-28 | Sony Corporation | Full duplex transmission circuit and electronic apparatus |
US8680919B2 (en) * | 2012-03-23 | 2014-03-25 | Fujitsu Limited | Impedance adjustments in amplifiers |
Families Citing this family (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN100446414C (en) * | 2004-08-04 | 2008-12-24 | 财团法人工业技术研究院 | High-frequency amplifier |
FR3068456B1 (en) * | 2017-06-28 | 2019-07-19 | Nexter Munitions | SHAPED LOAD |
Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4591743A (en) | 1983-12-19 | 1986-05-27 | National Semiconductor Corporation | Temperature compensated current sensing circuit |
WO1998005118A1 (en) | 1996-07-30 | 1998-02-05 | Philips Electronics N.V. | Inductorless voltage biasing circuit for an ac-coupled amplifier |
US6271721B1 (en) | 1999-06-23 | 2001-08-07 | Christopher Trask | Common-base transistor amplifiers with linearity augmentation |
US6509722B2 (en) * | 2001-05-01 | 2003-01-21 | Agere Systems Inc. | Dynamic input stage biasing for low quiescent current amplifiers |
US6617928B2 (en) * | 2000-10-06 | 2003-09-09 | Skyworks Solutions, Inc. | Configurable power amplifier and bias control |
Family Cites Families (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR2732356B1 (en) * | 1995-03-31 | 1997-05-30 | Solvay | COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING HYDROFLUOROCARBON AND METHOD FOR REMOVING WATER FROM A SOLID SURFACE |
-
2002
- 2002-03-27 FR FR0203806A patent/FR2837999B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2003
- 2003-03-27 US US10/401,510 patent/US6870427B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4591743A (en) | 1983-12-19 | 1986-05-27 | National Semiconductor Corporation | Temperature compensated current sensing circuit |
WO1998005118A1 (en) | 1996-07-30 | 1998-02-05 | Philips Electronics N.V. | Inductorless voltage biasing circuit for an ac-coupled amplifier |
US5760651A (en) * | 1996-07-30 | 1998-06-02 | Philips Electronics North America Corporation | Inductorless voltage biasing circuit for and Ac-coupled amplifier |
US6271721B1 (en) | 1999-06-23 | 2001-08-07 | Christopher Trask | Common-base transistor amplifiers with linearity augmentation |
US6617928B2 (en) * | 2000-10-06 | 2003-09-09 | Skyworks Solutions, Inc. | Configurable power amplifier and bias control |
US6509722B2 (en) * | 2001-05-01 | 2003-01-21 | Agere Systems Inc. | Dynamic input stage biasing for low quiescent current amplifiers |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
French Search Report, FA 617420/FR 0203806, dated Dec. 19, 2002. |
Cited By (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20050184808A1 (en) * | 2004-02-20 | 2005-08-25 | Krutko Oleh B. | Monolithically fabricated HBT amplification stage with current limiting FET |
US6998920B2 (en) * | 2004-02-20 | 2006-02-14 | Anadigics Inc. | Monolithically fabricated HBT amplification stage with current limiting FET |
US20120163242A1 (en) * | 2010-12-24 | 2012-06-28 | Sony Corporation | Full duplex transmission circuit and electronic apparatus |
US8817671B2 (en) * | 2010-12-24 | 2014-08-26 | Sony Corporation | Full duplex transmission circuit and electronic apparatus |
US8680919B2 (en) * | 2012-03-23 | 2014-03-25 | Fujitsu Limited | Impedance adjustments in amplifiers |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
FR2837999A1 (en) | 2003-10-03 |
FR2837999B1 (en) | 2005-05-20 |
US20030213976A1 (en) | 2003-11-20 |
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